LEED AP BD+C Practice Exam

1. Question

Under Option 1, what condition must be met to comply with the Outdoor Water Use Reduction prerequisite?

Install a drip irrigation system
Use only native plants
Eliminate the need for a permanent irrigation system after two years
Demonstrate 50% water savings

2. Question

A project team installs WaterSense labeled showerheads with a flow rate of 2.0 gpm (compared to the baseline of 2.5 gpm). What percentage reduction in water use is this for the showerheads?

10%
20%
25%
30%

3. Question

To earn points under Optimize Energy Performance, a project must:

Install energy-efficient lighting
Achieve an energy cost savings over the baseline
Use renewable energy sources
Implement energy-efficient HVAC systems

4. Question

To achieve the highest reduction level (50%) in the Indoor Water Use Reduction credit, a project must:

Use only low-flow fixtures
Achieve a 50% reduction from the baseline water use
Use alternative water sources like greywater
Install water-saving irrigation systems

5. Question

Which of the following project strategies would satisfy both bicycle network and storage requirements for a mixed-use project ?

Build long-term bike storage for 30% of occupants and short-term for 2.5% of peak visitors
Provide storage based only on total building area, split between commercial and residential
Meet Case 1 for non-residential and Case 2 for residential portions
Only provide four long-term and four short-term spaces regardless of use
Land that is the habitat for a rare species of animal

6. Question

Which of the following garden types would qualify as outdoor space under the Open Space credit?

A rooftop vegetable garden with native plants and public access
A turfgrass-only central park
A paved courtyard with no vegetation
An indoor atrium with tropical plants

7. Question

A residential project is pursuing the credit for Daylight. The team is modeling spatial daylight autonomy (sDA) and annual sunlight exposure (ASE) using simulation software. What is the minimum percentage of regularly occupied floor area that must achieve at least 300 lux for 50% of the time during the year to comply?

55%
50%
75%
90%

8. Question

A project is pursuing MR Credit: Building Life-Cycle Impact Reduction – Option 4 (Whole-Building LCA). The team compares the proposed design with a baseline building using a life-cycle assessment (LCA) tool. What is the minimum number of impact categories the project must reduce, and which impact is mandatory?

Reduce any 2 categories, including global warming potential
Reduce any 3 categories by at least 5%
Reduce 3 of 6 categories by 10%, including global warming potential
Reduce 5 categories, with no specific category mandatory

9. Question

For the Location and Transportation credit for Bicycle Facilities, which of the following is required?

A minimum of 1 short-term bicycle storage space per 100 occupants
Shower facilities for all building occupants
Long-term storage for at least 5% of all regular building occupants
Bicycle racks located more than 200 feet from entrances

10. Question

In the Daylight credit, which of the following must be avoided to prevent loss of points?

Sidelighting strategies in enclosed spaces
Glazing above 2.1 m (7 ft) without diffusing treatments
Illuminance levels exceeding 10,000 lux at any time
Use of furniture layout to reduce direct solar access

11. Question

What are the charging requirements that a project team must follow if they choose to install EVSE for green parking?

The green car has to be charged in four hours.
The EVSE needs to adhere to local regulations.
Renewable energy sources are required to power the EVSE.
It is necessary to compute the emissions from the green vehicle's electrical usage.

12. Question

A project is located in a dense urban area, and the design team aims to earn the Sustainable Sites credit for Stormwater Management. The project has limited space for retention ponds and detention basins. Which of the following strategies would be the most effective in reducing stormwater runoff?

Installing a green roof
Increasing the size of the parking lot
Adding pervious paving for parking and walkways
Using high-flow irrigation systems

13. Question

The project team is trying to reduce embodied carbon through material selection. What strategy would best support this goal?

Selecting heavier materials with longer service lives
Prioritizing materials with Environmental Product Declarations and low global warming potential
Avoiding recycled content to reduce unknown emissions
Using only domestic materials regardless of impact

14. Question

A project site has an FAR of 2.0 and is surrounded by 8 buildings averaging 3.0 FAR. What is the combined surrounding density?

2.0
2.8
3.0
2.5

15. Question

The credit for Rainwater Management primarily encourages which of the following approaches?

Minimizing the impervious surface area on the site to reduce runoff
Installing rainwater harvesting systems that supply water for non-potable uses
Using green roofs to absorb rainwater and reduce urban heat island effect
All of the above

16. Question

A building project aims to achieve the highest possible points for energy performance. The design team has opted for high-performance insulation and an optimized building envelope. Which strategy would most effectively reduce heating and cooling loads?

Installing reflective roofing materials
Using energy recovery ventilators (ERVs)
Maximizing glazing area for natural lighting
Installing a variable refrigerant flow (VRF) system

17. Question

A mixed-use development includes retail and residential units. To comply with the Indoor Water Use Reduction prerequisite, what must the project team ensure?

Use only native landscaping to eliminate outdoor irrigation
Install EPA WaterSense–labeled fixtures where applicable
Provide educational signage about water conservation
Reuse all wastewater generated by occupants

18. Question

A project located in a developing country is challenged by limited availability of certified building materials. Which strategy should the team prioritize to meet the LEED Materials and Resources credits?

Use only local, non-certified materials to support the economy
Focus on product transparency and environmental disclosures
Delay construction until compliant products become available
Request a regional exemption from GBCI

19. Question

Which of the following design decisions would best support LEED compliance for both the “Open Space” and “Rainwater Management” credits?

Designing a tiered bioswale with native vegetation
Using a high-SRI concrete plaza
Installing underground stormwater storage tanks
Creating a shaded pedestrian path with impervious tiles

20. Question

A mixed-use project is pursuing Renewable Energy credit points. Which strategy would best support the credit requirements?

Installing PV panels that offset 7% of the building's annual energy cost
Purchasing carbon offsets for the building’s total annual emissions
Connecting to a district energy system
Submetering each tenant space to track renewable energy use

21. Question

A building project is pursuing the Indoor Environmental Quality credit for Acoustic Performance. Which of the following measures would contribute to achieving this credit?

Installing sound-absorbing materials in ceilings and walls
Installing high-efficiency air filters in HVAC systems
Installing automatic lighting controls to reduce glare
Using low-VOC paints
Creation of a Program for Public Education

22. Question

A project is pursuing the Demand Response credit. Which of the following actions would satisfy the credit’s participation requirement?

Installing submeters to monitor HVAC and lighting loads
Signing up with a utility to receive real-time energy pricing data
Enrolling in an automated demand response program that adjusts building loads
Reducing peak demand by 10% using energy-efficient equipment

23. Question

On a large renovation project, a contractor is creating an IAQ plan that will be given to every subcontractor. During the renovations, a portion of the structure will continue to be occupied. What actions should the contractor take to lessen issues with indoor air quality brought on by the building process?Boost all inhabited spaces’ ventilation by at least 30% more than what ASHRAE 62.1 requires.

Boost all inhabited spaces' ventilation by at least 30% more than what ASHRAE 62.1 requires.
Install MERV 13 or higher filtration for both outdoor and return air.
Engage in high-pollution activities after hours.
At least once a week to clean any roll-out mats in front of the structure.

24. Question

An office building is pursuing the Environmental Tobacco Smoke Control prerequisite. Which of the following is required for outdoor smoking areas?

Must be at least 10 feet from entries, operable windows, and air intakes
Must be at least 15 feet from entries, operable windows, and air intakes
Must be at least 25 feet from entries, operable windows, and air intakes
Must be screened and ventilated

25. Question

A 150,000 ft² office building uses 12,000 gallons of water per day for indoor plumbing. After installing low-flow fixtures, the usage drops to 6,600 gallons/day. What is the indoor water use reduction?

42%
44%
45%
50%

26. Question

What is the minimum outdoor water use reduction required to meet the prerequisite for Outdoor Water Use Reduction?

20%
30%
50%
100%

27. Question

A new school building is designed to have an annual energy cost of $80,000. The baseline building under ASHRAE 90.1 shows an annual energy cost of $100,000. What is the projected cost savings percentage?

10%
15%
20%
25%

28. Question

A client is looking at the advantages of LEED certification for a suburban office building. Green building provides all of the following benefits and traits, with the exception of:

Increased values for properties.
Tax breaks and planning exemptions
Better lease-up percentages
Greater cost of owning.

29. Question

When installing artificial lighting, which light source will most closely resemble natural light?

A source of light having a color rendering index higher than 80.
Direct overhead lighting
A source of light has an average ceiling-to-worksurface illumination ratio of no more than 1:10.
Task lighting

30. Question

Which design approach can offer sufficient thermal comfort control for EQ Credit Thermal Comfort?

100% of frequently inhabited spaces have individual comfort controls, while 50% of non-regularly occupied spaces have controls.
50% of individual occupant areas have individual comfort controls, and all shared multi-occupant rooms have controls.
For half of the regularly used locations, there are individual comfort adjustments.
50% of shared multi-occupant areas and all frequently used spaces have individual comfort controls.

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